Bad Rear Brakes- Not obvious

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Jun 1, 2013
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Location
Albany, NY
Trying to trace down noise on the Lexus. Find that the rear brakes may be really messed up. A modern AWD car, with one rear wheel on the ground, should at least try to move. Well I noticed the traction control wasn't even trying. Then I thought about the winter. I knew the tires aren't great, but in snow it had no brakes. The VSC was terrible. Maybe Toyota ABS? I mean, the parking brake helped stop it sometimes.
Maybe the rear brakes just weren't working and pushing the car forward, fighting the ABS?

But I put two and two together. The rear brakes are gone.
Ok, so I take off the top caliper pin, not the easiest but it comes off.

caliper is supposed to flip down..afterall, it has to slide back, no?

First I push with my hand
Then a screwdriver
then a long prybar
then a longer prybar
then a 3lb sledge
ok, you get the idea.

A huge sledge...ok it moved so I can remove the pads. I noticed the pin is unscrewing a bit in the bracket allowing it to rotate back. Needed sledge to get it back.

I think it is new caliper time. Not worth messing with this and tracking down all the little parts. Some of the clips are bad too, that was making the noise.

..I've never seen it this bad. I read they recalled some years of that design.

Now, a visual brake inspection is very misleading. Why? Because the pads look brand new! I know there are at least 20K miles on them.
Unless you really mash the brakes, they don't apply much.

On a modern car, with 4x4,tc,ABS,VSC, etc, this can be quite dangerous!
 
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My Lexus was terrible for brakes in our North East Winters. Waaaaay toooo much salt, not neglect. My rotors would seize to the hubs regardless how much grease I'd put on the hubs. I'd have to sledge hammer them off every time I changed rotors. I was forever replacing my sliders also as part of the maintenance.

The Altima in my signature is having trouble with the rear brakes(AGAIN). They're almost frozen. It's a 2015 and I'm on my 2nd replacement set of rears(3 inclduing OE). ATMOF, I'm replacing everything F & R today & tomorrow. Replaced the Front last spring 2019 and the pads are still good but, I'm changing everything anyway.

Need Salt?
 
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Originally Posted by Chase1
Sounds a lot more like a case of neglected maintenance than design !


I guess its a good idea to tear down calipers then, because the pads and rotors look fine.

Honestly I should have checked them after stopping in the snow.
 
I don't see any new calipers for that car other than OE, stay away from remans, many are junk right out of the box and those that do work many times fail after a short time.
This is one of the parts that going new OE is definitely worth it if you intend to keep it.
 
Check Ebay or online junkyards. Maybe even call local junkyards. I just got 2 for my Montero also not easy to find calipers. $65 for 2 front calipers delivered. Advance Auto, Autozone, NAPA all wanted $65 each but needed a week to ship them to me. Ebay ones from Alabama were here in 2 days. They cleaned them up and painted them. Not perfect but very good as mine rusted though on the passenger side twin pistons. Drivers side was fine but I replaced both just to be sure. Now they are working great as I put it all back together today.
 
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Originally Posted by spk2000
Check Ebay or online junkyards. Maybe even call local junkyards. I just got 2 for my Montero also not easy to find calipers. $65 for 2 front calipers delivered. Advance Auto, Autozone, NAPA all wanted $65 each but needed a week to ship them to me. Ebay ones from Alabama were here in 2 days. They cleaned them up and painted them. Not perfect but very good as mine rusted though on the passenger side twin pistons. Drivers side was fine but I replaced both just to be sure. Now they are working great as I put it all back together today.

I agree, lifetime warranty means you will be changing them for life.
 
Originally Posted by spk2000
Check Ebay or online junkyards. Maybe even call local junkyards. I just got 2 for my Montero also not easy to find calipers. $65 for 2 front calipers delivered. Advance Auto, Autozone, NAPA all wanted $65 each but needed a week to ship them to me. Ebay ones from Alabama were here in 2 days. They cleaned them up and painted them. Not perfect but very good as mine rusted though on the passenger side twin pistons. Drivers side was fine but I replaced both just to be sure. Now they are working great as I put it all back together today.

Those are what my continental has. There are two bolts if I recall correctly.
 
I believe new ones from a Discount Lexus Dealer are $100. I have to call to check if they aren't remaned. Retail is $149.
Good used ones on ebay are 70 or so.
Reman Junk is 50ish.

With shipping cores or buying locally at overpriced autozone that isn't bad.
 
Originally Posted by ford46guy
... so I take off the top caliper pin, not the easiest but it comes off...


That sounds like the problem (at least one of them ) right there. If the pins don't come out easy, then the caliper probably isn't floating and your outboard pad might be rubbing against the rotor. What was the relative thickness of the inboard vs outboard pads?
 
As for rebuilt calipers ... I've used NAPA remans for years now ... maybe on 7-8 different cars ... never an issue. I also like it that they come painted black ... helps to reduce rusting, as I live in the salt belt as well. As for the original post here .... I've found that here in the NE ...even if pads aren't worn, it's almost necessary annual preventative maintenance to pull the pads & clips ... clean the clips up, clean the pins up, reapply lube, and put back together. If you don't, you end up with what the thread starter described.
 
Originally Posted by DIY4quality
Originally Posted by ford46guy
... so I take off the top caliper pin, not the easiest but it comes off...


That sounds like the problem (at least one of them ) right there. If the pins don't come out easy, then the caliper probably isn't floating and your outboard pad might be rubbing against the rotor. What was the relative thickness of the inboard vs outboard pads?

For some crazy reason they are both equal. Almost look new!

This is the issue with the brakes, they recalled it for some years. Seems they forgot to grease at the factory. Same caliper as mine.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2009/CSC-10028044-3910.pdf
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/at...tainer-clip-question-l-cp-9lb-0001-w.pdf

If not done every 2 years it comes back. Many have complaints. Some say Lexus replaced their calipers free. I see why the calipers are cheap.
 
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Originally Posted by Market525
As for rebuilt calipers ... I've used NAPA remans for years now ... maybe on 7-8 different cars ... never an issue. I also like it that they come painted black ... helps to reduce rusting, as I live in the salt belt as well. As for the original post here .... I've found that here in the NE ...even if pads aren't worn, it's almost necessary annual preventative maintenance to pull the pads & clips ... clean the clips up, clean the pins up, reapply lube, and put back together. If you don't, you end up with what the thread starter described.

They are Reman by A1-Cardone. NAPA told me.
https://media.napaonline.com/is/content/GenuinePartsCompany/1096708pdf?$PDF$
 
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I am a big fan of busting apart the brakes every spring, and it's not a bad idea in the fall either and applying grease to the sliding surfaces. Honda M77 (as recommended by The_Critic) is what I use, and it makes about a year on my daily drivers.
 
Yeah, I lube the sliders & clean/lube the hardware & pad ears in Spring(installing A/S tires). And again in the Fall(installing snow tires). If I miss doing them in the Fall, I will often(but not always) have issues during the Winter Season. The SALT is killing my beautiful vehicles but, this is where I've chosen to live so, I can't blame anyone but myself.
 
Hi from the salt belt (been living here since the late 70s).

Another thing for the spring brake maintenance list is to clean out the slots the brake pads ride in.

The other year, found flaking rust in the slots had bound up the pads and kept them from moving. Had to knock the pads out with a hammer. Never had this happen before.
 
As a tech that works in the salt belt, the brake calipers (especially the rear because they dont get as hot) need to be serviced minimum once a year. Ideally twice a year.
 
Every year I have to take the calipers off of everything and clean off the pad ears, rattle clips and sliders. Otherwise the pad gets jammed in the bracket.
 
Yeah, I'm definitely going to fully inspect every year. Even if the pads and rotor look mint (which most shops would just say its fine). Lexus told me they know about the issue and check for it when you come for service
They replace many rear calipers on that car. They said 100% not to use reman in this case, Lexus made the caliper price competitive with the reman junk. They replace many reman calipers that are a year old.
They also said to use their special grease when servicing it. "Toyota Rubber Grease"
 
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